


Pankraz Stoically Endures The Assault

by bethany81707



Category: Dragon Quest Series, Dragon Quest V
Genre: Beating, Canonical Character Death, Dragon Quest IV tie-in, Flash Fic, Gen, Hero is named Lucas, Last Moments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-28 15:38:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16244675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bethany81707/pseuds/bethany81707
Summary: A fine hero finally meets his end the only way his foe can manage, and has the time in the midst of his battering to contemplate the matter.





	Pankraz Stoically Endures The Assault

Pankraz let the point of his sword drop to the ground, breathing heavily as the hog and the horse dropped to the ground, spent. Miraculously, neither had been defeated… but there was no time to care. He had to take on the sorcerer looming over Lucas.

“Well done. You are showing the strength that has come to be expected of you. But I tire of this game,” Ladja said. He held his hand out ominously, and focused. Lucas was pulled from the ground, his head being pulled into Ladja’s massive hand. A scythe appeared behind Ladja, and he took it in his other hand. The silvery blade was brought to Lucas’s neck. Pankraz let out a shuddered gasp, grateful that Lucas was too exhausted to panic or thrash.

“If you are not considerating for the wellbeing of this boy, continue to make your best moves. But know that if you dare, your child’s spirit will wander hell forever!” Ladja shouted.

“Lucas…” Pankraz muttered, watching as his two opponents resumed their feet. They readied themselves for battle, and Pankraz found himself duelling again. The two figures, still only standing at eye level to him, were ready to attack. The horse, Kon, swung both hooves, and Pankraz allowed him to strike, bloodying his nose. The hog, Slon, swung his three-bladed sword, creating three shallow slashes across his chest.

Child’s play. If he had access to his best moves, as Ladja put it, he could beat the pair three times over without needing a break.

Pankraz stoically endured the assault.

“How’s it feel to be on the other side?” Kon yelled, thrusting his hoof into the side of his head. His ear felt mildly sore. Slon tried stabbing the pointed end of his blade into Pankraz’s side. The puncture wounds were bleeding, but nothing particularly vital seemed to have been hit. Pankraz had fought a thousand battles, each time preparing his body to take an onslaught of pain for long enough to strike down whatever was attacking him and prepare a healing spell. He was nigh unstoppable, and now that was working against him, as he had to stand and watch his worst nightmare unfold in front of him. For the next five minutes.

Pankraz is saving his strength.

Kon raised his arms in the air, launching a blast of white magic Pankraz’s way. Pankraz didn’t think to dodge it, but just his luck, it was one of the brands of magic Pankraz had spent months training his body to be immune to. He couldn’t be fuddled, fizzled, dazzled, sapped or snoozed, so no matter which family of spell it was that Kon knew, it didn’t matter to him. Not like it would have mattered if it had worked- it wouldn’t let him die faster. Slon’s strike hit his leg, beginning the blood flow and dropping him to the ground. This at least hurt. He was resistant, not invulnerable. If he was to be taken out in a fair fight, this was what his opponents should have been trying from the get go.

Pankraz takes a deep breath.

Kon brought down both hooves on Pankraz’s head. Surprising even himself, all he felt was a mild bruising and a minor inconvenience- more deserving of an “Ow” than any sort of anguished scream. Pankraz had half a mind to be insulted by the meagre effort. It was bad enough that he was being blackmailed into losing his fight-  the fact his opponents were struggling to best him with even  _ that _ advantage made it difficult to stomach the thought. Slon struck at his sword arm, again weakening it and causing his blade to fall to the ground. The time for fighting was long gone. Pankraz was getting impatient with this farce.

Pankraz stoically endures the assault.

Kon, foolishly, cast whatever spell he knew again. Pankraz hoped it was one of the Snooze spells. He hoped he could fall asleep. He had always hoped he would die at peace. But as each blow rained upon him, the fact his death was here and now, delayed only at the incompetence of his assailants, became more and more apparent. He was dead… but there was only one thing for it. As Slon’s sword came down on his back, striking his spine, he resolved to make his last request. He had had one goal for the last six years… he wasn’t letting all that work go to waste.

Pankraz collapses.

“Hyeh heh heh… the great hero of Whealbrook is no more, it seems…” Slon chuckled, turning back to Ladja. Ladja had put Lucas down, his scythe still formed as he looked at the form of Pankraz. Not even the wounds he had taken to his spine would stop him.

“Lucas…” he spluttered.

“Yoy! I am still auditing breath from this man!” Ladja exclaimed, the scythe hovering over Lucas uncertainly.

“Lucas… your… mother… she’s still alive… find her, Lucas… find her for me… survive…” Pankraz said. He wasn’t sure if Lucas heard him… he wasn’t sure if Lucas would live to try. But the blood of a great warrior flowed through his veins… the defiant spirit of his ancestor would live on in Lucas, just as it had in himself. Given half an inch, Lucas would take on that spirit from his ancestor Alena and crush these incompetent wretches into the fine paste they deserved to be.

“I love the adoration a father has for his child. And such a heartwarming final request, too…” Ladja remarked. He raised his hand, and a massive ball of fire appeared in the sky. Pankraz knew where it was headed… knew what it would do when it landed… Pankraz was staring his own death in the face. It had taken minutes longer than it should have, but it came.

“Goodbye… Lucas…” Pankraz sighed, waiting for the fireball to begin its devastating charge towards him.

Pankraz, if he still had the capacity, thanked his lucky stars the spell granted the small mercy of a quick death.


End file.
